Lubricated dust guard



'July 19, 1938. H. H. GRECE LUBRICATED DUST GUARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 18, 1937 INVENTOR. Ci

July 19, 1938. H. H. GRECE' LUBRICATED DUST GUARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 18,. 1937 pill! lllllll. s

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Patented July 19, 1938 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFECE LUBRICATED DUST GUARD Harry H. Grece, Detroit, Mich. Application January 18, 1937, Serial No. 121,136

4 Claims.

This invention relates to dust guards and in particular to lubricated dust guards adapted to be positioned in the dust guard pocket of a railroad car journal box and seal the opening between the hub seat of the car axle and the journal box.

The main object of this invention is to provide an improved lubricated dust guard for sealing the opening between a railroad car journal box and the ear axle journaled therein which will have an extremely long life under the most severe service conditions.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved lubricated dust guard for sealing the opening between a railroad car journal box and the car axle adapted to seal the joint between the dust guard pocket of. the journal box and the dust guard and yet permit slidable movement of the dust guard within the dust guard pocket.

Another object of this invention is to provide,

in combination with a journal box having a dust guard pocket, liner means for said dust guard pocket, and a lubricated wear resisting dust guard slidably positioned in said dust guard pocket in sealed contact with said liner means for sealing the opening between the journal box and the car axle journaled therein. Still another object of this invention is to provide, in combination with a journal box having a dust guard pocket, a dust guard slidably positioned in said dust guard pocket adapted to seal the opening between the journal box and the car axle and means resiliently anchored to said dust guard for sealing the opening through which the dust guard is inserted into said dust guard pocket.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional view of a railroad car journal box showing a dust guard embodying the invention positioned in the dust guard pocket thereof. and around the hub seat of the car axle.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 1 showing another embodiment of the invention also positioned around a car axle and in the dust guard pocket of a journal box.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken on the line 5--5-of Fig. 2 showing the construetion of the embodiment of the dust guard in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 66 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a detailed view showing compressible 6 sealing means between the upper and lower sections of the dust guard.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 88 of. Fig. 4: showing the construction of the embodiment of the dust guard disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional View similar to Fig. 6 showing still another embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and '7 comprises, in general, a dust guard l0 slidably positioned in the dust guard pocket II' of the journal box I2 into which the car axle I3 having a hub seat I4 is journaled by means of the bearing l5 secured in the top of the journal box I2 by a suitable wedge Hi.

The insides of the rear wall I I and the partition wall I8 of the journal box I2 forming the guard pocket I I are preferably lined with suitable liner plates l9 and 20 respectively, each having a central aperture therethrough, and each preferably having a suitably formed annular lip 2I disposed around the said central aperture therethrough slightly smaller in diameter than the apertures in the walls H and I 8 respectively of the journal box I2 through which the axle I3 is normally positioned. The liner plates I9 and 20 are preferably secured'to the inside of the walls i1 and E8 of the journal box I2 by such means as soldering or cementing, the joint between the annular lips 2| thereof and the said walls IT and E8 of the journal box I2 being preferably sealed by such means as the solder 22 or the like. The liner plates I9 and 20 compensate for irregularities in the cast surface of the walls I1 and I8 of the dust guard pocket II and provide a suitable surface against which the dust guard Ill may 45 slide in sealed relationship thereagainst.

The dust guard II] comprises, in general, upper and lower portions 23 and 24 respectively slidably joined together by the shafts 25 and sprung to the hub seat Id of the car axle l3 by the springs 26, each of the upper and lower portions 23 and 24 having an arcuate wear resisting contact shoe 21 and 28 respectively preferably of babbit or other wear resisting material harmless to the hub seat I4 of the car axle l3 and an oil reservoir 29 and 38 respectively secured in sealed relationship to said contact shoes 21 and 28, the said contact shoes 21 and 28 each having a felt strip 3| therein adapted to supply oil from the said reservoirs to the surface of the hub seat H of the car axle |3 under the said contact shoes by such means as the wicking 32 positioned in said contact shoes and extending into said reservoirs. Felt facings 33 and 34 on the front and rear sides respectively of the said dust guard ID are of such thickness that, together with the thickness of the reservoirs 29 and 30, will permit the said dust guard to slidably yet snugly fit between the linerplates I9 and 20 of the dust guard pocket thereby sealing the joints between the said dust guard l0 and the liner plates l9 and 20.

Referring particularly to Figs. 5 and 6, it will be noted that the upper and lower contact shoes 21 and 28 are shouldered to permit the reservoirs 29 and 38 respectively to be brazed thereto with the exposed surfaces thereof flush in respect to each other.

The upper contact shoe 2! is vertically bored at the sides thereof as best indicated in Figs. 2 and 5 to frictionally receive the upper end of the shafts 25 upon which the lower contact shoe 28 is slidably mounted through suitable bores provided therein. The said shafts 25 cured in the upper contact shoe 27 by means of suitable pins 31. Compression springs 26 positioned around the shafts 25, each having a headed end 35 for retaining a said spring 26 therein, react against the bottom of the lower contact shoe 28 for constantly urging the said contact shoes 21 and 28 in sealed relationship around the hub seat M of the car axle 3. A felt washer 36 and a metal washer 360 may be provided around each shaft 25 between the spring 26 and the lower Contact shoe 28, the said felt washers 36 being preferably positioned in suitable counterbores in the said contact shoe 28 to provide an oil seal the hub seat between each shaft 25 and the lower contact shoe 28 'to prevent oil from leaking from the lower reservoir 38 around the said shafts 25.

Compressible pads 38 of felt or other suitable material are positioned around the shafts 25 as best shownin Figs. 1, 5 and 7 between the upper and lower portions 23 and 24 respectively of the dust guard ID to seal the opening therebetween when the's'a'id dust guard H) is positioned around M of a car axle |3. The said pads 38 are preferably slit at 380 between the edge thereof and the aperture provided therethrough to accommodate the shaft 25, see Fig. '7, to admit of ease in assembling them on the said shaft 25 or removing the same therefrom.

Resilient facings 33 and 34 of felt or other suitable material are secured on the front and rear sidesrespectively of the said dust guard as best shown in Figs. 2 and 5 by shellacking or otherwise cementing the same thereto. The total'thickness of the dust guard I0 being such as to permit the same to be positioned in the dust guard pocket II in slidable sealed relationship against the liner plates l9 and 20 therein.

The upper and lower contact shoes 2! and 28 are each slotted along the surface thereof in contact with the hub seat |4-of the car axle 13 as best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6 for receiving the felt strips 3| and the wicking 32 by means of which the surface of the contact shoes in contact with the hub seat M of the car axle |3 are thoroughly lubricated. It will be noted that the wicking 32 extends through suitably disposed bores provided in the contact shoes 27 and 28 are preferably se' at the base of the slots therein into the oil reservoirs 29 and 30 respectively whereby to supply lubricant to the felt strips 3| therefrom. A bafile 39 is preferably provided in the reservoir 29 adjacent to the shafts 25 and the springs 26 therein to prevent the wicking 32 from fouling the same.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7, the opening at the top of the dust guard pocket H is preferably sealed with a formed metal cap 40 resiliently secured to the top of the dust guard ID by the springs 4| which engage suitably disposed spring anchorages 42 and 43 on the inside of the said metal cap 40 and on the top of the reservoir 29 of the upper portion 23 of the dust guard ID respectively. A washer 44 of felt or other suitable material is disposed in the formed metal cap 40 in such a position as to effectively seal the joint between the said metal cap 40 and the journal box |2 around the top opening of the said dust guard pocket I The metal cap 48 is preferably formed with a depending lip 40!] therearound to assure proper positioning at all times in respect tothe top walls of the journal box |2 circumscribing the dust guard pocket thereof. The springs 4| between the dust guard Hi and the formed metal cap 48 are of considerably less strength and greater resiliency than the springs 28 which cause the upper and lower portions 23 and 24 of the dust guard l0 to grip the hub seat M of the car axle |'3, which relative strength and resiliency permits the dust guard II] to move with the car axle 3 in respect to the journal box 2 and at the same time grip the car axle regardless of position of the dust guard H] in respect to its means 40 for sealing the top opening of the dust guard pocket I The operation of the invention is obvious from the description, the resiliency of the compressible felt facings 33 and 34 of the dust guard l0 being relied upon to slidably seal the joint between the said dust guard l0 and the liner plates I9 and 20 of the dust guard pocket H, the total uncompressed thickness of the dust guard l8 being slightly greater than the space between the liner plates l9 and 28 of the said dust guard pocket The cap 40 as hereinbefore described provides a readily applied and removable'seal for the top of the dust guard pocket The dust guard l0 including its cap 40 is preferably soaked in lubricant prior to being inserted into a dust guard pocket H for sealing all the openings thereof after the reservoirs 29 and 3|] have been filled with lubricant through suitably located removably plugged filling apertures, not shown. The dust guard I0 and its cap 40 maybe readily and easily removed from the dust guard pocket II and the reservoirs 29 and 30 thereof refilled.

The embodiment of the novel dust guard ||0 disclosed in Figs. 3, 4 and 8 is identical in every respect to the dust guard shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and '7 except that the liner plate 20 is omitted from the inside of the partition wall |8 of the journal box l2, the resilient facing 33 is omitted from the front side of the dust guard In, and spring means are provided on the rear of the upper and'lower portions 230 and 240 of the said dust guard M0 to constantly urge the said dust guard l0 in slidable sealed relationship to the liner plate I!) on the inside face of the rear wall I! of the said dust guard pocket H with the felt facing 34 thereagainst. Be-

cause of being metal and formed with arcuate ends 46, the said spring means 45 permits the dust guard III) to slide freely in respect to the normally rough inside surface of the said partition wall [8 of the journal box 12.

It is readily observed that the cap 4E! may be used as a part of the dust guard I!!! for sealing the top opening of the dust guard pocket H, however, the conventional wooden wedge i! for sealing the said opening may be used with the dust guard H9 as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 7. The wooden wedge 41, though not preferable, may be used with the novel dust guard M3 by omitting the cap 4|] and springs 4| therefrom.

The embodiment of the novel dust guard Hi0 disclosed in Fig. 9 is identical in every respect to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and '7 except that liner pads I90 and 200 of felt or other suitable resilient material have been substituted for the metal liner plates l9 and 2!] respectively, the felt facings 33 and 34 have been omitted, and the contact shoes 21 and 28 and the reservoirs 29 and 36 have been made slightly wider so that the said dust guard I I II] will slidably seal itself against the felt liner pads I90 and 200. Before the dust guard Hi9 is placed in the dust guard pocket II it is preferable that the liner pads H10 and 20!] be well sprayed or otherwise saturated with a suitable lubricant.

Although but several embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described herein, it will be understood that various changes including the size, shape, arrangement and details of the various parts thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention other than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lubricated dust guard for sealing the opening between a car axle and its journal box comprising upper and lower portions each composed of an arcuate wear resisting shoe in contact with said axle and a lubricant reservoir secured in sealed relationship thereto, the said wear resisting shoes having a continuous slot therein along the arcuate surface thereof in contact with said car axle, a lubricating strip in said continuous slot, means communicating with said reservoir for supplying lubricant therefrom to said lubricating strip, and spring means for gripping the said dust guard around said axle.

2. A lubricated dust guard for sealing the opening between a car axle and its-journal box comprising upper and lower portions each composed of an arcuate wear resisting shoe in contact with said axle and a lubricant reservoir secured in sealed relationship thereto, the said wear resisting shoes having a continuous slot therein along the arcuate surface thereof in contact with said car axle, a lubricating strip in said continuous slot, wicking positioned between said lubricating strip and the base of said slot communicating with said reservoir for supplying lubricant therefrom to said lubricating strip, and spring means for gripping the said dust guard around said, axle.

3. A lubricated dust guard for sealing the opening between a car axle and its journal box comprising upper and lower portions slidably secured together in a plane normal to the axis of the car axle each composed of an arcuate wear resisting shoe in contact with said axle and a lubricant reservoir secured in sealed relationship thereto, the said wear resisting shoes having a continuous slot therein along the arcuate surface thereof in contact with said car axle, a lubricating strip in said continuous slot, means communicating with said reservoir for supplying lubricant therefrom to said lubricating strip, and spring means for gripping the said dust guard around said axle.

4. A lubricated dust guard for sealing the opening between a car axle and its journal box comprising upper and lower portions each composed of an arcuate wear resisting shoe and a lubricant reservoir secured in sealed relationship thereto, headed shafts having one of said wear resisting shoes slidable thereon and fixed in the other, a compression spring on each shaft adapted to react between the head thereof and the slidable wear resisting shoe for constantly urging said wear resisting shoes in contact with said car axle, compressible means positioned on said shafts between the upper and lower portions of said dust guard for adjustably filling the space therebetween, the said wear resisting shoes having a continuous slot therein along the arcuate surface thereof in contact with said car axle, a lubricating strip in said continuous slot, and means communicating with said reservoir for supplying lubricant therefrom to said lubricating strips.

HARRY H. GRECE. 

